Friday, February 9, 2018&Saturday, February 10, 2018

The University of Miami Law Review’s Symposium is an annual event that leads to the publication of an issue. This year’s Symposium, entitled “Hack to the Future: How Technology is Disrupting the Legal Profession,” will explore the implications of developing technologies on the practice of law.

Keynote Speaker:

Hilarie Bass

As Co-President of international law firm Greenberg Traurig and a prolific trial attorney with a highly successful 30-plus year career, Hilarie Bass is one of the most recognized women attorneys in the United States. Hilarie is currently President of the American Bar Association, the world’s largest voluntary professional organization with more than 400,000 members. At Greenberg Traurig, she helps chart the course for the multi-practice firm with approximately 2,000 attorneys across 38 offices worldwide. She currently serves on the firm’s Executive Committee and previously served an eight-year term as national chair of its 600-member litigation department. Hilarie is also the founder and former chair of Greenberg Traurig’s Women’s Initiative.

Mentoring others in the legal field and giving back to the community has always been a top priority for Hilarie. She has led top legal and community organizations and received numerous prestigious awards for her achievements. She has dedicated herself to supporting the mission of the ABA for more than 30 years, beginning as a young lawyer and now serving a one-year term as President. She previously served as Chair of the Section of Litigation, the ABA’s largest section, where she spearheaded the creation of a Task Force on Implicit Bias in the Justice System. She also served as Chair of the Committee on Rules and Calendar, and as a member of the Board of Governors, House of Delegates and the State of Florida representative, on the Nominating Committee. Hilarie serves as Vice Chair of University of Miami’s Board of Trustees. She was formerly Chair of the United Way of Miami-Dade County and a member of the ABA Commission on Women. [Excerpted from full biography on www.americanbar.org]

SYMPOSIUM PANELS

This panel will examine current and emerging technologies (including Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain Technology, and smart contracts among others) and their applications to the legal field and practice. The purpose of the panel will be to discuss how technology is changing the traditionally slow-to-evolve legal landscape. This panel will bring together two founders of companies focused on development of artificial intelligence technologies for legal companies and a legal scholar focused on legal technology. It is imperative that legal practitioners understand the advent of new technologies, how they can improve their practice, the threats they may pose, and their related responsibilities to their clients.

PANEL II: Legal Technology and Access to Justice

This second panel will explore and evaluate how technology in the legal field can be designed to allow for more efficient delivery of legal services to a wider range of people. The discussion will be aimed at evaluating the current access to justice environment, from both a legal practitioner’s and a social scientist’s perspective, and how technology can lead the charge to improve these efforts and close what is known as the “justice gap.”

PANEL III: Big Data: Data Privacy and Cyber Security

This panel will discuss the benefits and perils, including the ethical implications and obligations, of big data collection in the legal field. Relatedly, the panel will explore the implications of big data collection on the privacy rights of everyday citizens. Advanced analytical algorithms will continue to allow lawyers to more accurately predict the outcomes of disputes, analyze trends in case law, and more quickly conduct research and prepare for litigation. This is a trend that will undoubtedly disrupt the way the legal industry operates, and this panel will discuss the proper balance between innovation, client privacy, and the ethical responsibility of practitioners.

PANEL IV: Smart House

The final panel of the Symposium will bring together speakers from the in-house counsel side to provide an inside perspective on how technology is changing the practice of law from a client’s perspective. This panel will round out the program’s discussion by providing a look at the legal environment from the perspective of those seeking legal services.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions of students, professors, and practitioners that appear on this site do notreflect the official position of the University of Miami Law Review or the University of Miami School of Law onany particular issue, legal or otherwise.